ATHENS HOLDS OFF TROY, 14-9
By: Tim Birney | AthensWildcats.com | April 8, 2021 | Photo courtesy David Alliger
ATHENS — Athens raced out to a 13-1 lead, thanks in large part to a
nine-run third inning, then held on for a 14-9 win over Troy here
Thursday afternoon in NTL Large School baseball action.
Troy
struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first inning. Caleb
Binford led off the game with a single, and later scored on a dropped
third strike with two outs that allowed Jake Dietrick to reach base.
The
Wildcats answered immediately. Junior Karter Rude singled to lead off
the home half of the first inning, and sophomore Jaren Glisson followed
with a walk. With one out, sophomore Mason Lister ripped a two-run
double to left field to put Athens ahead 2-1.
With two outs in
the bottom of the second inning, senior Ben Vough scampered home on a
dropped third strike that allowed Glisson.
Sophomore Lucas Kraft
and senior Kyler Setzer led off the home half of the third inning with
singles, and junior Kaden Setzer stroked a line-drive RBI single to left
field to make it 4-1.
A pair of walks, sandwiched around a wild
pitch, gave Athens a 5-1 lead. With one out, Glisson stroked a two-run
single up the middle to extend the lead to 7-1, and sophomore Cameron
Sullivan followed three pitches later with a two-RBI single to left
field.
The Wildcats added runs on a fielder’s choice grounder of
the bat of Kyler Setzer, and RBI single by Kaden Setzer, and a passed
ball to extend the lead to 12-1 after three innings.
Sullivan,
the Athens starter, pitched around a double in the fourth inning, and
junior Tucker Brown stroked an RBI single to score Rude, who led off the
inning with a single, to make it 13-1.
Sullivan retired the
first two batters in the top of the fifth, and was one out away from
ending the game via the 10-run “mercy” rule, but the Trojans’ offense
roared to life and scored five runs on five consecutive hits and an
error.
Sullivan retired the side in order in the sixth, and the
first batter in the seventh inning, but Troy put together three straight
hits, and Rude was brought on in relief.
A pair of walks and a
wild pitch brought home two Trojan runners in the top of the seventh
inning, but Rude induced a groundball to Cameron, who moved from the
mound to shortstop, to end the game.
Sullivan had two hits, two
runs scored, and two RBI, and Rude had two hits, two runs scored, and
four stolen bases to lead the Wildcats’ 12-hit attack, while Lister
doubled and singled, scored one ru, and drove in two runs, and Kaden
Setzer singled twice, scored one run, and had two RBI.
Glisson
and Kyler Setzer each singled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs in
the win, while Brown singled and drove in one run, Kraft singled and
scored one run, and Vough and senior Tanner Dildine each crossed the
plate once.
Sullivan earned his first varsity win, allowing eight
runs — seven earned — on 11 hits, while striking out three and walking
none. Rude walked two and allowed an unearned run in two-thirds of an
inning on the mound.
Morgan Madigan had three hits, including a pair of doubles, two runs scored, and three RBI to lead the Trojans at the plate.
Athens, now 4-2, returns to action Monday at Wellsboro.
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